In early 2010, it was announced that the band will continue with frontman Shaant Hacikyan as the only original member to continue, joining with former members of Mandy K.
Michael Brady, Patrick MacLean, Kevin Scoma , and Mike Novak have joined Hacikyan to release Cute's single, "Harbour" which is available free for download on Shaant Hacikyan's Twitter account and here.
Pre-2010...
Having paired off in other local combos – singer Shaant Hacikyan and guitarist Jeff Czum in one, old bassist Fred Cimato and drummer Tom Falcone in another – Cute Is What We Aim For came together in January 2005 in Buffalo, New York, driven by the four members' desire to cast their own upbeat spin onto modern pop.
The Cute Is What We Aim For moniker was adopted as a 'homage to a friend'. It is also said that the term "cute" was used by Shaant in high school as another word for "gay", and in a phone conversation between himself and guitarist Jeff, Shaant stated "Cute is what we aim for." in reference to picking a name, and the band decided to use that phrase. The band was productive from the get-go, cranking out a series of bedroom demo recordings just moments after uniting. They posted the tracks on MySpace and PureVolume and quickly captured the attention of the blogosphere. From the start, there was a genuine connection between Cute and the kids.
Cute's online presence allowed for widespread national exposure that once upon a time could only be garnered through full-steam-ahead touring. With songs like "Lyrical Lies" and "Finger Twist and Split" lighting up broadband connections coast-to-coast, the band were eager to establish themselves as an equally poptastic live act. In the spring of 2005, mere months after getting started, Cute won PureVolume's online Battle of the Bands competition, securing a high-profile spot at that year's Bamboozle. They spent the following months recording and playing more shows, building upon their new fanbase while simultaneously fending off the many record companies that were vying for their services. But when the call came from Fueled By Ramen, they knew that they'd found the right home.
The band signed onto the Fueled By Ramen roster in November and quickly began getting ready to record their debut album. In February 2006, they packed their gear into the van and headed down to Beltsville, Maryland to work with producer Matt Squire. Squire, known for his work with such bands as Panic! At the Disco and Thrice, helped the band focus their energies, direct their efforts, and encourage them to fully find their own voice in the studio.
The resulting The Same Old Blood Rush With a New Touch more than fulfills Cute's mission to mesh jubilant tunefulness with savvy verbal gymnastics. Among the album's many highlights is the first single, "There's a Class for This," which features guest vocals from William Beckett from The Academy Is.. and on stage Martin Johnson from Boys Like Girls.
Since finishing the record, Cute has begun playing more and more live shows, including headline dates and tours alongside such artists as Punchline and Jack's Mannequin.
Bassist Fred Cimato left the band in October 2006. He was replaced by former October Fall member Jack Marin. However, in April 2007, it was revealed that Marin had left the band and Cimato had returned in order to replace him.
In early 2008, Cimato once again left the band, and solo artist and old Dave Melillo officially joined as his replacement. Melillo had been playing with the band for a while as an extra rhythm guitarist, but is now an official member.
On September 2nd 2008, drummer, Tom Falcone, anounced that he would be leaving the band. Many speculated because the band was on tour and Falcone had been missing for a few shows. Falcone released an offical statement via ap.net stating that "I simply left the band because the personality conflicts and daily drama made it impossible for me to live a peaceful, happy life." Also adding that "I assure you that no one came looking for me." Shaant nor any of the other members have commented on the situation. Former Roses Are Red drummer Michael Lasaponara is currently filling in on drums.
The band split ways August 18th, 2009. Dave Melillo told Alternative Press Magazine in an online interview "The story pretty much is we got off [the] Take Action! [tour], and the idea was to write a record. We didn't have any type of management, we didn't have anyone that we were really working with, so we didn't have a direction, we didn't have any type of game plan. But we were really trying."
In recent news (2010) Jeff Czum was seen filling in for a guitarist during a show in Australia.
The Curse Of Curves
Cute Is What We Aim For Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And you've got the curse of curves
And with this gift I compose words
And the question that comes forward
Are you perspiring from the irony
Or sweating to these lyrics
And this just in
You're a dead fit
But my wit won't allow it
The inside lingo had me at hello
And we go where the money goes
The inside lingo had me at hello
And we go where the money goes
I want someone provocative and talkative
But it's so hard when you're shallow as a shower
And from what I've heard with skin you'll win
Her bone structure screams
"Touch her! Touch her!"
And she's got the curse of curves
So with the combination of my gift with one liners
And my way
My way with words
It seems I'm too hip to keep tight lipped
And you're on the gossip team
You're making something out of nothing
And jealousy's the cousin, the cousin of greed
The inside lingo had me at hello
And we go where the money goes
The inside lingo had me at hello
And we go where the money goes
I want someone provocative and talkative
But it's so hard when you're shallow as a shower
And from what I've heard with skin you'll win
Her bone structure screams (I want someone)
"Touch her! Touch her!"
And she's got the curse, the curse of (I want someone)
From what I've heard with skin you'll win
We all have teeth that can bite underneath
To where the reality grows
Yeah, that's where mine go
That's where mine go
We all have teeth that can bite underneath
To where the reality grows
Yeah that's where mine go
Where the reality grows
From what I've heard with skin you'll win
And from what I've heard with skin you'll win
I want someone provocative and talkative
But it's so hard when you're shallow as a shower
And from what I've heard with skin you'll win
Her bone structure screams (I want someone)
"Touch her! Touch her!"
And she's got the curse, the curse of (I want someone)
From what I've heard with skin you'll win
With skin you'll win
Skin you'll win
The lyrics of "The Curse of Curves" by Cute Is What We Aim For poetically express the tension between two people who appear to be attracted to each other but have different priorities in a romantic relationship. The song lyrics also touch on themes of image and perception.
The first verse of the song is the singer telling the object of their desire that they have a gift for one-liners while the other person has the curse of curves. The singer's gift is writing clever lines while the other person relies on their physical appearance to attract attention. The singer wonders if the other person is sweating from the irony of their situation or if they simply enjoy the lyrics. The chorus reveals the singer’s desire for someone provocative and talkative, but they find it hard to connect with someone so focused on their appearance.
In the second verse, the singer continues to describe the other person's physical appearance while also highlighting their own wit and the fact that they are too hip to keep quiet. The final chorus returns to the singer's desire for someone provocative and talkative but acknowledges that, from what they've heard, attractiveness is the key to winning someone over.
Line by Line Meaning
I've got the gift of one liners
I am skilled at crafting clever quips
And you've got the curse of curves
You are burdened by your attractive physique
And with this gift I compose words
I use my ability to write witty remarks
And the question that comes forward
The concern that arises is
Are you perspiring from the irony
Are you sweating due to the irony of the situation
Or sweating to these lyrics
Or sweating in response to the words I'm saying
And this just in
Breaking news
You're a dead fit
You are undoubtedly attractive
But my wit won't allow it
But my cleverness prevents me from being taken in
The inside lingo had me at hello
I was immediately drawn in by the insider language
And we go where the money goes
We follow the money
I want someone provocative and talkative
I desire someone who is both alluring and communicative
But it's so hard when you're shallow as a shower
But it's difficult to find such a person when you are only interested in superficial qualities
And from what I've heard with skin you'll win
And I've heard that appearances are what truly matter
Her bone structure screams
Her facial features are extremely attractive
"Touch her! Touch her!"
The way she looks makes you want to touch her
And she's got the curse of curves
And she is burdened by her curvaceous body type
So with the combination of my gift with one liners
Therefore, the fact that I am skilled at witty remarks
And my way
And my manner
My way with words
My skill in using language
It seems I'm too hip to keep tight lipped
It appears that I am too cool to keep my mouth shut
And you're on the gossip team
And you are involved in spreading rumors
You're making something out of nothing
You are exaggerating an insignificant situation
And jealousy's the cousin, the cousin of greed
Jealousy is closely related to greed
We all have teeth that can bite underneath
We all have hidden aggressions
To where the reality grows
Where the truth lies
Yeah, that's where mine go
That's where my thoughts lead me
With skin you'll win
Appearances are what matter most
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Fernando Cimato, Jeff Czum, Jeffrey Martin Czum, Shaant Hacikyan, Shaant Timothy Hacikyan, Tom Falcone
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind